I swore by my old framing hammer for 15 years until a job in Bend last month

We were framing a cabin in the cold and my arm was dead by lunch. The foreman handed me his titanium Stiletto and said 'just try it'. I swung it twice and felt the difference in my elbow immediately. I bought one that night. Anyone else switch tools later in their career and kick themselves for not doing it sooner?

4 comments

4 Comments

rosepark19d ago

Is it really that serious though? You swung a hammer twice and felt a difference. Of course you did. It's lighter. That's not exactly groundbreaking science. Framers have been using heavy steel hammers for a hundred years because they work. The whole argument about titanium saving your elbow is mostly marketing hype. If you've been swinging a tool for 15 years and your arm goes dead by lunch, maybe the problem isn't the hammer. Could be your swing, your form, or you just need to stretch more. I've seen old timers use beat up Craftsman hammers from the 80s and outwork guys with $300 Stilettos all day long.

sandra_moore303mo ago

Honestly, 30 years with the same steel hammer like @kelly_rivera's uncle? My elbow hurts just thinking about it.

wadejenkins3mo ago

I read an article about carpenters in Maine who still use those old steel framing hammers. They said the extra weight does more work on the downswing so you don't have to swing as hard. It makes sense if you learned with that tool and built up the muscle for it. Switching to something new after decades would throw off your whole rhythm. The hype is always about the latest gear but skill with a trusted tool beats a new one every time.

kelly_rivera3mo ago

My uncle was a framer for 30 years and used the same steel hammer the whole time. He tried a lighter one once and said it felt like a toy, went right back to his old one. I get that new tools can help, but sometimes the hype is bigger than the real change. A lot of it comes down to what you're used to swinging all day.